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Author Interview: Kristen Painter

Kristen Painter is a two-time Golden Heart finalist and an active member of RWA. She has written paranormal romance and fantasy romance and well as her popular gothic urban fantasy series, The House of Comarre, which includes BLOOD RIGHTS, FLESH AND BLOOD, BAD BLOOD, OUT FOR BLOOD, and LAST BLOOD. It also includes a novella, FORBIDDEN BLOOD. BLOOD RIGHTS was the 2012 Aspen Gold Single Title winner and BAD BLOOD was chosen as a 2012 HOLT Medallion Award of Merit winner. She is also co-founder of the award-winning writer’s site, Romance Divas.

Today is the release day for LAST BLOOD, the last book in the House of Comarre series. Kindle addition is available on Amazon here.

RK: This is the final installment for your House of Comarré series. Looking back, how have you felt about writing the series? Were there any challenges? Were some installments more difficult than others?

KRISTEN: I love writing and creating the series, but there were challenges along the way – most mentally. Keeping the storylines fresh and interesting, while also intertwining them and ultimately meshing some of them together wasn’t always the easiest thing to do but it was greatly rewarding. I feel like I came up with some really unexpected twists and those are the kinds of things that make me happy. I won’t say any of the books were easy to write, but the second book, FLESH AND BLOOD, was definitely the most challenging.

RK: Urban fantasy is generally known for its focus on the protagonist and watching that protagonist grow and change in their personal journey. How do you feel about Chrysabelle now? Has she grown or changed in unexpected ways?

KRISTEN: Chrysabelle has definitely grown as the series has progressed. She started out a little naïve and somewhat of a loner due to her position in life, but at the end of the series, she’s smarter, more open to friendships and understands that not everything has to be done alone. She’s definitely prepared for whatever life brings her next.

RK: What are some of your upcoming projects? Will you be starting any new series’?

KRISTEN: HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN, the first book of my next series, Crescent City, is already done! It’s set in the same world as the House of Comarré but takes place in New Orleans and focuses on the fae. It comes out next May and I’m really excited to get it into readers’ hands!

RK: You have written romance as well as urban fantasy. What are the similarities and differences you find as a writer in approaching both of these genres?

KRISTEN: Romance obviously focuses more on the relationship between the hero and the heroine and tends to be more character driven. Urban Fantasy allows the writer to go beyond that and expand the storylines in a way they might not have the space to in romance. I still have elements of romance in my books because love is a tremendous driving force, both good and bad sometimes, and nothing pushes a character to test themselves like love.

RK: As a writer, you have been very active in RWA as well as a co-founder of Romance Divas. How have those experience in the writers community enhanced your career? How important is it in this social media age of publishing?

KRISTEN: RWA was my first real experience getting to know other writers in real life, but Romance Divas has been both a great online community and a chance to meet people in real life as we try to meet up when a bunch of us are at the same con. These kinds of connections are more important than ever in our current environment. With the flow of information changing daily you have to have a place you can trust where you can go to discuss what’s happening. It’s much easier to make decisions when you can benefit from the experience of others.

RK: If the House of Comarré were to be a television series whom would you choose as the stars?

KRISTEN: That’s such a tough question. I really don’t know! I’d love to think there are some great undiscovered actors out there who could bring the characters to life.

RK: If you discovered that you were immortal, how would you prepare your friends and family for the truth? Would you tell them?

KRISTEN: Oh, they already know.

RK: Which would you rather be: a genetically engineered super human or a cybernetically enhanced superhuman? Why?

KRISTEN: Cybernetically! Because if it got weird, I could have it removed.